When the World Ends
by emptyfortunecookie
Summary: The gang is falling apart. Yusuke is beginning to feel his heritage take over. Kuwabara is losing his powers all together. Kurama is inflicted with a mysterious disease, and Hiei is going blind. And if that's enough...takes place after the series ends
1. Your Friends are Dying!

_**Summary: **The gang is slowly falling apart. Yusuke is beginning to feel his "heritage" take over, while Kuwabara is losing his powers all together. Kurama's body is being ailed by a strange but serious disease while Hiei is going blind as a side affect of the Jagan. Some of Demon World's apparitions have decided to take advantage of this, and Spirit World is now in a bind. Who will save the world, and who will save them? _

* * *

Gritting his teeth, he prepared himself for the escape. Waited. If he didn't make his move now, there would be no escape. It was now or never…the fate of everything depended on it!

Yusuke glanced to his left, to his right, and then behind him. There was his escape! A door not too far off…if only he could…

His right foot slipped behind him, ready to take off the moment he had the chance. Not now…there's one on the left…now there's two….wait, they moved….okay….Here it was….

_NOW!!!_

Yusuke turned on his foot and prepared to fling himself out the door and into the merciful freedom filled streets of the town. Suddenly, a cold voice laden with agitation called out after him.

"Yusuke! You're not thinking about ditching me again, are you?"

'Damn,' he thought to himself, his thumb pressed against the side of his nose. Why did these places always reek of twenty different flavors of perfume?

Oh well.

"What!?" He whirled back around, hands raised in his own defense. "Never! I just thought—"

"You thought you'd get away this time, is that it?"

Keiko's face was now inches away from his own. It was painful how near she was, and yet at the same time…his heart felt…what? Somehow he couldn't be deterred by that glare of hers…even when she was angry she was adorable…the twitching vein in her temple and all.

"Not at all!"

She fell back on her heels, the glare never subsiding. Yusuke couldn't help but grin at how her lips were bunched up, frowning at him the way she always had. Her pointed chin moving back and forth as she clicked her teeth…and that vein was still there too…

"Honestly, Yusuke, what am I supposed to do with you? You don't want to go to restaurants, you don't want to go out to the shopping district…"

Oh, crap. Here it was: the guilt. This was where she asked him if they should even continue going out together. He sighed. Why did she always have to do this? She couldn't NOT know by now that none of this stuff was his deal. Shopping? Fancy restaurants? What out of ANY of these things had "Yusuke Urameshi" written _anywhere_ on it?

But, at the same time, it wasn't like he could take Keiko "bar-room-brawling" either…

…maybe this really was a waste of their time?

"YUSUKE!?!"

"WHAT?!?"

"You're not even listening to me!"

"I…what?"

There it was: that last sigh where she was tacitly declaring that she was finished with him for the day. Her energy was wasted once again. Another day, another lost cause…that was how Yusuke felt whenever she got that look….made that noise with a simple exhaling of her breath. It was like a knife through his heart, or a knee to the groin…no…it was somehow more painful then that…and he would know.

"Just take me home, Yusuke."

"Aw, c'mon Keiko! I'm sorry. Please?"

He really had changed. A year ago he would have just started walking. At least now he made some effort to be….what was it? Sentimental? No…well whatever. It was something, right?

She shook her head. Not a word. That was when Yusuke knew he was defeated. Sighing, he shoved his hands in his pockets and headed for the door. Keiko put down whatever it was that she had been looking at and followed him.

He held the door for her.

She didn't say anything.

This wasn't uncommon. No matter how old they had been together, Yusuke had always walked her home. Keiko never asked why, and Yusuke was never really sure himself. It just seemed like the thing to do. After all, people who got mixed up with him usually ended up in their fair share of trouble because of it, and Keiko had already proven to be no exception. The least he could do was walk her home.

Of course the long walk brought things to his mind. Things he wanted to say…mostly things he wanted to apologize for. Truthfully, Yusuke really wasn't classic boyfriend material, and he'd be the first to admit it. He didn't like doing anything if it didn't include bruising his knuckles, and was pretty good at keeping to just that. But he was loyal, and he did care. There wasn't another girl in the world he'd rather be getting yelled at…or feeling guilty about…or walking home.

A chill wind blew through the streets. It was nearing winter, and the late night meant colder winds. He didn't need eyes to know that Keiko was probably shivering beneath her plaid high school skirt and button blouse.

Thoughtlessly he undid his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

It was during a moment like this where Keiko would expect Yusuke to let his hands wander into _certain_ _territories_, but he had grown up, and although was still quite brash and rude, was more of a gentlemen when it came to women. The only place his hands landed were on her far shoulder and her elbow near his ribs. His grip was strong, but always gentle. It astounded her at times that these hands had beaten numberless men…and apparitions, into a pulp…and some even beyond that. Now here they were, wrapped around her body, protecting her from the elements…

…she smiled. Despite their moral stains, there were no other hands she'd rather have guiding her through a dark, cold night.

Although it was cold, the walk couldn't have been long enough. Both stayed, wrapped in each other's embrace for a moment, before finally pulling away. Keiko gave Yusuke back his jacket before going inside. Yusuke waited until she was inside with the door closed, and then headed down the street himself, the article of clothing now sliding back over his own arms and shoulders.

It smelled like her now. The flowery shampoo; the cream scented soap...

…the perfume…

….he'd have to wash it when he got home.

* * *

Despite the scent, Yusuke was happy to have his jacket with him. For some reason the cold had really picked up.

He was happy to have gotten Keiko home when he did.

The freezing air gave way to an otherwise silent evening. The chirping of insects did not give rise to their melodies tonight. Most were probably either frozen or smart enough to have known not to leave the security of their nests.

Yusuke wished he had had half that sense, because he could have been home right now.

Maybe he should have stayed at Keiko's house?

That thought brought a touch of warmth to his heart.

He'd never actually stayed there before, not since they were little, back when it was perfectly okay for little boys and little girls who were friends to sleep in the same room together.

Things might have been different now, and truth be told, they were, but a bed on a couch was better then freezing to death…

…and of course anywhere next to Keiko was warmer still.

He smiled and closed his eyes. She seemed so very near to him now. He could almost hear her voice.

Perhaps it was the scent of her on his coat. It made the memories of her stronger.

...maybe he wouldn't wash it.

There were still trace remnants of her warmth as well that lingered inside the coat. He wrapped it tighter around himself just to have a better sense. He could smell her, feel her…even though she wasn't there.

…maybe they weren't wasting their time after all?

A sharp breeze picked up suddenly, and it whipped around Yusuke in a violent torrent. With it went all feelings of warmth, and for a second he was surprised that he could not feel his face.

It didn't last long, but his cheeks were now stinging from the aftereffects.

"Damn," he said in surprise. At this rate, there would be snow on the ground by morning!

It took Yusuke longer than he would have liked to finally reach home. When he finally got to the door, he pushed in violently and slammed it behind him.

"I'm home!" He yelled, not really expecting a response.

He didn't get one.

Stretching, Yusuke yawned and was prepared to crash early that night, but when he slid open the door to his bedroom he was met with a shock, and a rather unwelcome guest.

"What is it?" he half whined, plopping down on his bed. He crossed his legs across his sheets with his hands placed behind his head.

"Oh Yusuke, your greetings are always so cheery!"

Botan.

"That's because you always have such wonderful news. What does Koenma want? I thought I wasn't doing this Spirit Detective gig anymore."

"Oh, don't worry…this is nothing like that!" She raised her hands, waving them frantically in her own defense. "How are you? You certainly don't look very cheery…or is this your everyday face? It's been so long since we've talked!" Her hands clapped together.

It should not be allowable for someone who deals with the dead all day to be so damn happy.

"Can it, Botan. What is it?"

The young woman sighed. Her pink eyes danced around the room for a while, and Yusuke knew that this action meant one of two things. She was either beating around the bush, or she wasn't sure how to say what she came here to tell him.

Either way, it wasn't good.

"Just spill it, Botan."

Her index fingers meant, poking into each other habitually. Her eyes were still darting around, and she began to look oddly nervous.

"Have you talked to Kuwabara at all?"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. His lower lip jutted out in confusion, and he could not help but cock his head at the unforeseen question.

"Not much lately. What does he have to do with this?"

Botan sighed.

"What about Kurama?"

"No."

"I see."

She sat uninvited down on his bed. Yusuke pulled his feet away. Something about her being here made him nervous. This wasn't a run of the mill assignment…he wasn't even supposed to be getting assignments anymore…and the fact that Botan was asking about the others made his stomach slightly queasy. He hadn't seen the gang in a while. Their last get together had been at a festival some months back. They hadn't spent very long together, so Yusuke had spent the rest of the day with Keiko.

Truth be told, Yusuke was spending pretty much all of his time with Keiko these days. Kuwabara and Kurama were almost strangers to him now, and no one ever heard from Hiei anymore.

Being in an alternate dimension did that to relationships after all.

"Damn it Botan, you're pissing me off. What's going on?"

She didn't hesitate to throw him a very bitter glare. He pretended to not be phased.

"Well, Yusuke!" Botan stood in a huff. She placed her hands on her hips in a very motherly fashion. Yusuke knew it was going to be another one of those lectures, though nothing could have prepared him for what Botan said next.

"We thought it may interest you to know that your friends are dying!"


	2. A Single Question

Naturally, Yusuke was more than a little shocked.

"What? Dying?!" He nearly flew back onto his feet, now toe to toe with Botan. "What do you mean, dying?!"

Her hands shot up immediately in her own defense as she began to inch backward, correct in sensing Yusuke to be more than a little hostile right now.

"Honestly, Yusuke, calm down. I know this his news to you but—"

"You're damn right it's news! How long has this been going on exactly?!"

A noticeable bead of sweat was now making its way down Botan's lower left temple. Her form was trembling, rightfully so, and she was beginning to believe that if she didn't give Yusuke the information he demanded, she'd soon find herself booted out of the Urameshi residence in the crudest manner Yusuke could think of.

"Well, Yusuke, it's complicated…"

"Complicated?!"

For a moment, Yusuke forgot himself, now lost in his own rage. He wanted nothing more than to tear Botan limb from limb…but after a few tense moments, the urge subsided, leaving him slightly weary and very much drained of his strength. Yusuke looked at his former assistant cautiously and with a very stern sounding voice, addressed her formally.

"Botan, whatever it is, it's going to have to wait until tomorrow."

Two very confused pink eyes gazed up at him, blinking systematically.

"Yusuke?"

"Please," he grabbed his head, suppressing a snarl. "Just go."

Botan looked as though she wanted to apologize. Somehow, she actually believed that this information was the cause for Yusuke's behavior. She offered a hand, but when he snapped another goodbye at her, she left immediately.

As Botan stood outside of the apartment a frown crossed over her face. She summoned her oar and departed for the Spirit World, a single question on her mind.

* * *

"All right. Give me the details." 

Both Yusuke and Botan were standing unaccompanied and well concealed beneath a remote underpass where very little traffic would drive by and notice them. It was the best hiding spot they could find at this time of day, but it was better than nothing.

Botan had chosen it, but was now having second thoughts. However, after Yusuke's little outburst last night, she knew she didn't want to be trapped in an enclosed area with him again anytime soon.

With a long sigh, she finally started in on her story.

"We first started to notice some, changes, about six months after you had all begun to go your separate ways."

"All right."

"We thought nothing of it at first. No one was really using their powers anymore, so we figured that it was just due to languidness."

Yusuke nodded.

"It's hard to say when it all started, but the first big surprise to us was a report from Demon World about Hiei. Rumor has it that he's going blind, Yusuke!"

"What? Blind?"

Botan nodded. "An effect from the Jagan, it seems. No one really understands though. We've had our teams researching it, and they've come up with nothing. We thought perhaps this was just a special case, but it seems that this has happened before in the past. It's rare, but…" she trailed off. There really was nothing more to say on the matter.

"How is he taking it then?"

"He won't admit to it. He says he's fine…but his skills have diminished as well because of it. He's suffered numerous injuries from multiple attacks and attempts on his life from power hungry apparitions. Mukuro has begged us to help him, but….well, you know how Hiei is."

"So he hasn't learned to compensate for his shortcomings yet?" Yusuke suddenly wondered to himself if there was a pun somewhere in that statement, but he dismissed it almost immediately. This was serious.

Botan shook her head. "No, and he's only getting worse. We're all afraid that it's only a matter of time before someone is successful at killing him."

Yusuke nodded in understanding.

"Does Kurama know?"

Botan shook her head again. "No, and he's another matter. He may even be worse off than Hiei."

"Don't tell me he's going blind _and_ deaf?"

"No, but he's fallen terribly ill."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "So why hasn't his mother taken him to a doctor then?"

"It's not that simple, Yusuke."

The once-spirit detective sighed and looked away. Why could nothing ever be simple? Just once? Was it too much to ask?

"Human technology can't trace the disease at all, and there's no known cure for it."

"You mean using our technology?"

Botan nodded. "Right, but it's not that simple to cure for us, either. The only known antidote for this disease is the root of a plant that supposedly went extinct over a thousand years ago."

"But isn't Kurama's specialty plants?"

"Yes, but he can't exactly do anything with a plant that doesn't exist anymore."

He sighed again. Damn it, this was all getting so frustrating. "And Kuwabara?"

Botan looked away, her eyes growing heavy with emotion. Her shoulders seemed to have just taken on some great, invisible weight, and her mouth went through an open-and-shut process multiple times before any words ever actually came out.

"Your friend Kuwabara is losing his powers all together."

Yusuke blinked. "Okay, well that doesn't sound _too_ bad."

"Except that the draining of Spirit Power, especially one so strong, means that his spirit itself is also being drained. At least in this sense…"

"Is someone _else_ doing this?"

"We don't know, Yusuke."

Yusuke leaned back on the wall behind him, crossing his arms and looking pissed. "Are you people good for _anything_?"

Botan's eyes fell away and dropped to the ground. She bit her bottom lip to the point where Yusuke thought it might bleed, and her eyes were now twitching with an unnatural amount of built up moisture.

'I guess I said too much this time,' he thought to himself.

"I'm sorry."

Botan shook her head, and immediately replaced her sadness with the characteristic smile that was so utterly confusing for someone in her position.

"It's all right, Yusuke. I can understand you're angry. We're all frustrated, but…" her expression grew somber. "Please remember, we are doing the best that we can. This isn't easy, you know."

Yusuke nodded.

"You're the only one who knows about this though. I haven't said anything to anyone else about the situation with the others."

Yusuke nodded again. Damn it, he wanted a cigarette.

"When will you tell them?"

There it was again, the sad face that Yusuke just couldn't stand. This must have been pretty serious to sully Botan's cheery demeanor so many times in one conversation.

"I don't know. Right now you seem to be the only one who can do anything for them, Yusuke. We just want to keep you on the up and up in case we need to give you a call."

"All right."

Botan summoned her oar and hopped on.

"Maybe you should go visit them, Yusuke. Just to see how they're doing. I'm sure Kurama and Kuwabara would be happy to know that you at least are doing well."

The idea didn't sound too bad…but at the same time, it didn't sound too good either. What could be worse than rubbing in the fact that they were all sick and he was doing great?

"Meh."

Botan smiled and waved. In one quick swoop she was fading away into the clouds overhead, leaving Yusuke behind, who now looked very uneasy.


	3. One Last Battle

"Urameshi?"

Yusuke didn't even bother grinning, he just looked Kuwabara up and down multiple times. He could barely sense any spirit energy at all, and on top of that, his physical strength seemed to be dwindling as well.

Botan hadn't been kidding. Kuwabara really was dying.

"Um…hey? Something the matter?"

"Huh?"

Yusuke suddenly realized that he was being impolite…not that that mattered when it came to Yusuke Urameshi….or did it?

"What? Oh, no! Not at all!" He faked a rich, hearty laugh, and placed his hands behind his head. "You busy?"

"Uh…no."

"Cool."

A blank moment passed in which the two just stared at each other in utter confusion.

'Well this isn't going very well' Yusuke thought to himself.

"Wanna…..go do something?"

Kuwabara blinked.

"Like what?"

"Well…" Yusuke paused to scratch his chin….then his temple….then his forehead….then the back of his head….then the back of his neck…."I don't know."

Kuwabara raised an eyebrow. "Did Keiko dump you?"

Yusuke felt his eye twitch. "NO!" He hollered indignantly.

Chuckling, Kuwabara placed his hands on his hips and smiled down at his old friend. _Typical Yusuke_.

"Let me grab my jacket." He turned from the doorway and yelled that he was going to be gone for a while. Shizuru, the person Yusuke assumed Kuwabara was talking to, gave no answer.

Guess that meant he was allowed to leave.

"So, what have you been up to?"

Kuwabara shrugged. "Not much, lately. Life got pretty boring after Koenma stopped sending us assignments."

"Yeah…"

"Just getting through school these days. Hey, you heard from Kurama or Hiei at all?"

Yusuke felt his blood run cold for a second, but then realized that if he said no, his answer wouldn't be a total lie.

"Nothing from Kurama, and I doubt anyone's heard anything from Hiei. Speaking of which, how's Yukina?"

"Not too good."

Yusuke frowned. Surely there wasn't something wrong with her too?

"Is she sick?"

"No, but she seems worried a lot lately. She keeps doting over me, saying that I don't look very good."

"Yeah, but you never looked good Kuwabara." Laughing, Yusuke twisted up his fingers and gave Kuwabara a friendly punch in the shoulder….no matter how friendly Yusuke's punches were, they still hurt like hell.

"OW! Urameshi…"

"Hmm, I think Yukina's right! You _have_ gotten soft!"

Yusuke started laughing, and after realizing the joke Kuwabara couldn't help but join in.

It was almost like old times.

Almost.

"So what brings you all the way out to my place? It's been months since we've all done anything together!"

"Yeah, I know…I feel kinda bad about that."

"Been spending all your time with Keiko, huh?" He nudged Yusuke in the ribs with his painfully sharp elbow, all the while his left eyebrow seemed to rise and fall in a very suggestive manner that made Yusuke question _what exactly_ he was thinking about.

Then it hit him.

And then he hit Kuwabara.

"NO you idiot! It's not like that!"

Although the tall, burly, red headed man winced, he seemed to be having fun roughing it up with an old pal of his.

"Aw, so there's no Urameshi Junior yet, is that it?"

"That's it, you are so dead!"

* * *

Both young men sat on park benches parallel to the other. Their heads were angled up, staring at the nighttime sky and watching the stars pass by. 

Watching time pass by.

Watching life pass by.

"So what happened, Urameshi?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean, to us. To all of us. We were unbeatable for so long…suddenly, we're all nothing again."

Yusuke sighed. If this was going to be another philosophical rant by the not-so-wise Kuwabara…

"We're not nothing," he reassured his friend. "We've just…gone our separate ways, I guess. It happens. We all have our own lives to take care of now…"

"…it's kind of sad."

"That we're moving on?"

"No…that we're moving away."

Yusuke's head fell over the back rest on the bench, hitting the planter behind it. The strike to his brain triggered a thought in his mind as well, concerning what Kuwabara was talking about.

With the bond they had all shared; he, Kuwabara, Kurama and Hiei, it was amazing that after everything they had been through, death included, that the one thing that would come between them was space and time. The simplest damn thing in the world…the same thing that eventually came between everyone and everything, separating and dividing them, and inadvertently cutting them off from each other entirely…even the great team Urameshi was apparently not exempt from the effects of time…and fate.

Suddenly, death didn't seem so lonely anymore.

"I guess."

"Is that all you can say? "'I guess.'"

Yusuke sighed. "Well it's not like there's anything we can do about it. You can fight the world, both spirit and demon, and in the end the laws of the universe still have you restrained by its chains. No one wins in the end…I think I've learned that above everything else."

"It shouldn't have to be that way."

"Well, what do you want to do, Kuwabara, take on time itself?"

Although Yusuke couldn't see it, he sensed a smile growing on his friend's face. One long arm reached up towards the sky as if trying to capture the myriad of specs that illuminated the sky.

"……yeah."

Yusuke rotated his head to look at Kuwabara. There was a familiar glint in the young man's eyes…one that Yusuke recognized very well. It was that glint that said Kuwabara was being serious, despite the ridiculousness of his proposal.

"What?"

"C'mon, Urameshi! One last battle! We'll fight time itself, and then nothing will control us!"

Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"I suppose after that you'll say we should battle the laws of gravity."

Kuwabara chuckled.

"Yeah, you're right. It was a stupid idea."

With that, Kuwabara let his outreached arm fall to his side, and continued to stare up into the nighttime sky.

* * *

_Well, I'm not overall pleased with this chapter, or the last one...they went too fast for one thing...but I do really like how I wrapped it up with Kuwabara's line at the end. _

_This chapter really symbolizes a lot, and I hope the reader can see that. I mainly wanted to focus on the importance of relationships (friends), and that even the strongest bonds can be broken by distance and time. It's a painful lesson that we all know, but I want to incorporate that theme into this story a great deal. _

_Let me know what you think, please? Reviews are always appreciated!_


	4. Lost in Blindness

A small, dark silhouette stood overlooking the vast and mighty chasms that lay open at his feet. Perhaps he was only looking, or perhaps he was listening, or perhaps he was doing none of these things, but instead contemplating. The depths of the mind were like the depths of these rifts that opened and spanned, beginning at his feet and snaking ever onward, further than even a demon eye could see. His mind, however, was not so far outstretched this night. Whatever action his mind, body, or senses partook of, he certainly did not look disturbed, not even by any of the cataclysmic weather conditions that had swept up and around him. Even the rain that had been beating mercilessly upon his body for the past hour since he had stationed himself upon the cliff side did not hinder him. His lonely silhouette remained, outlined now and then by the illuminating flashes of lightening, echoed by the vociferous roll of thunder that seemed to be singing for the sake of the oncoming darkness that awaited the worlds. Still, the silhouette was undaunted. He stood, a stark contrast to the world around him, were it not for the glowing red embers that were undoubtedly his eyes.

Eyes that could not focus.

Eyes that could not see.

It was a lonely, dark way to live…lost in blindness…seeing only the images that _can_ be seen, the ones formulated within the mind…to be locked within the confines of such a small place…forever…was hell. These corridors of shadow…flashes of light that were only in his imagination…and the ceaseless pains that clambered throughout his head…was there no peace to be found in it?

Sighing, Hiei looked to the sky, or at least, pretended to…for the sake of his newfound company. The rain still fell in torrents, but had lessened for that moment. A moment when Hiei found himself no longer lost in the darkness of his head.

"Is there a reason for you to be here now?" asked the fire demon sharply. His tongue, sharper than ever, might have sliced through the heart of the person who had trudged all this way to join him, were it not for the fact that he was wise enough to expect this kind of harshness already.

"Mukuro told me that I could find you here." The gentle voice was still easy to hear over the din of the rains. It was surprising, but perhaps not so much now. "I thought it might be nice to say hello to an old friend."

"Hn."

A smile. Hiei could not see it, but he sensed it there. That irreplaceable and unfounded warmth. It certainly did not come from the sun.

Was it a smile? Or perhaps the presence of someone familiar and welcome? Hiei wasn't sure. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. Only that he was lost now. And alone.

"You haven't changed, I see."

Footsteps. Kurama was approaching him. As he got closer, Hiei's nose caught the scent of sickness. It made him swoon on his feet, and greatly caught him off guard. So the rumor was true. Kurama really was…

"How did you get here?"

Silence.

Kurama contemplated his answers, as he always did. Carefully weighing, wondering what would be the best choice of words. Weighing, standing there…and wreaking of death.

"Koenma allowed me to pass through the barrier."

Hiei's sightless eyes darted over in his friend's direction.

"For what purpose?"

Another smile? Hiei wasn't certain.

Damn him.

"You're not happy to see me, I take it?"

Hiei did not bother to respond. What a ridiculous thing to say. Him? Happy to see anyone? The fact that he couldn't actually see aside…

Kurama's cheery cynicism was often enough to start his teeth grinding and his nerves twitching in anger…but it took mere seconds for Hiei to brush it off. It wasn't worth bringing up. Neither of them seemed to have the energy anyhow.

"Why else are you here? I find it hard to believe that you just felt the need to say hello."

There was a long pause. Kurama was no doubt weighing his words again.

"I'm looking for something."

Hiei's eyes darted back toward Kurama, then out into the gloom once more. He pretended to scan his surroundings. If he could fool Kurama…then he needn't worry about anyone else.

He was adjusting at least, to being unable to see anything. His other senses, as predicted, were beginning to take over. Soon he would be able to roam the lands freely again. And then, he would unleash hell upon those who had attempted to take his life.

"The Naosu Vine?"

Kurama smiled. A light chuckle developed in his chest, but was drowned out by the sound of thunder.

"So, you heard?"

"I can smell it on you."

"Ah. I should have known."

Hiei turned around and faced Kurama. His eyes raised to the height he remembered his friend to be, and by using his ears and nose determined just where at his side Kurama was standing. "How long have you been like this, Kurama?"

A pause.

"It did not become this serious until a few days ago. By then I knew that if I did not find what I needed soon, well…"

"You will die."

Kurama nodded.

Hiei grit his teeth.

"You are a fool."

Another smile. A chuckle. A laugh, and the shuffle of long, brilliant red hair. Was he shaking his head? Damn it, Hiei couldn't tell.

"It would seem as though you are right, this time."

Each stared out into the dark and somber silence for some time. As they did so, the storm overhead moved on, and now only a slight sprinkle could be felt. After a while, Hiei sighed and turned away from the chasms. He began to walk away from both the cliff side and Kurama, when his old friend's voice reverberated back toward him. He stopped, and the sound of footsteps soon followed the words. Together they began walking in utter silence. Hiei carefully weight his steps and footfalls, remembering the count from here to the palace, and which turns to take.

For many minutes, neither demon spoke a word. They walked calmly in each other's presence and the silence. Perhaps no words were needed, or perhaps one could not think of something appropriate enough to say. Perhaps there was nothing left to say, after all, what could be said? Kurama was dying, and Hiei…well, there was nothing that he could do to assist his ailing friend. An apology would not only be out of character, but unfounded.

Kurama seemed at ease enough, and perhaps it was because having lived so long, and seen so much, that the prospect of death did not frighten him. It did not frighten Hiei either, but the fact that Kurama was not making an immediate effort to find what it was that he needed…was rather confusing. It was obvious that he had other objectives than to be searching for the Naosu Vine, but what were they?

"I have heard rumors that you are not feeling well either."

Hiei stopped in his tracks. He was a few paces ahead of Kurama, but enough to know that his friend could not see the expression on his face. Did the Spirit World know now as well? If so, who had told them?

"I am fine."

A long pause. Finally, Kurama spoke. Suspicion was laden on is words, but even he knew not to press Hiei when there were questions that he didn't want to answer.

"Of course."

Nothing else was said. The duo continued on their way back, Hiei lost in silent contemplation, and Kurama simply lost in silence.

* * *

"Thank you for getting him," said Mukuro. She inclined her head politely toward Kurama. "I worry when he leaves these days." 

"It seems that he has suffered some serious injuries recently," Kurama observed. Hiei was not in the room with them, he had retired upstairs for the night, though both suspected that he would be back down later to inquire as to why they were still talking.

Mukuro nodded her head, a sad sigh escaped from her lips as she tossed a red strand of hair from her face.

"Yes," she confirmed. "A few months ago he was out training. There was a B class demon nearby. He attacked Hiei and nearly tore him limb from limb."

Kurama could not help but allow his surprise to show. Hiei? Beaten down by a lesser demon?

"Where's the demon now?"

"We don't know. Hiei is determined to find the creature, but…I worry that if he does, he may not come back at all this time."

"You said it was a B class demon?"

Mukuro nodded her head.

Both were sitting across from each other in a lounge area. There was some distance between them, but it was still easy to see emotion on the other's faces. Right now, Kurama saw worry on Mukuro's.

"I know what you're thinking. Hiei bested by a B class demon, and you're right. It made me wonder as well, but then I realized something."

Kurama raised his head. "What?"

For a long time Mukuro said nothing. Her face was sullen and dark. It was the first time Kurama had never seen anyone like this over Hiei before. How serious could it have been?

"Have you noticed how he looks at you?"

He blinked, now somewhat confused. "I'm sorry?"

"His eyes. How they appear when they observe their surroundings?"

Kurama lowered his gaze and gave it some thought. Come to think of it, Hiei only met his gaze once during their conversation. Had there been something about his eyes that was so very strange?

"Are you telling me that Hiei is going blind?"

Mukuro shook her head.

"No. I'm telling you he already is blind."

It would have been a lie for Kurama to have said he was not surprised by this. Hiei losing his eyesight? It didn't seem feasible…and yet, he knew that in some instances….

"Is this because of the Jagan?"

"We can only suspect as much."

"Can anything be done to help him?"

She sighed, her gaze falling low. "No. There is no way to reverse the effects. Even removing the Jagan would do nothing at this point. All Hiei can do now is to adjust to his handicap and learn to make up for it with his other senses."

Kurama nodded his head. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. There was no way to reverse the effects of the blindness disease that ailed those who had had the Jagan planted in their bodies unnaturally.

A chasm of silent contemplation spanned between the two of them for some time. No one spoke except for the winds outside, and a slight trickle of rain that had not yet passed from the storm earlier that day.

"So, what will you do, Kurama?"

He raised his head. "About what?"

"Yourself. You're looking for the Naosu Vine, yes?"

"Oh, that. Yes, I am attempting to search for it, though I know my efforts will most likely prove to be in vain."

Mukuro nodded her head. Her gaze was now digging into Kurama's eyes…eyes she noted that were so lacking the light of life.

"You should not give up so easily. If anyone can find it, I'm certain it will be you."

Kurama could not help but smile at the steadfast encouragement this woman gave him.

"Perhaps." He stood to leave. "Thank you, Mukuro. I think, if it's all right, I'll be going to bed now."

The woman nodded, a smile on her face. As Kurama exited the room and went up the stairs, he found a small silhouette leaning against the opposite wall of the stairwell.

"Can't sleep, Hiei?"

"I came to show you to your room."

"Oh, I see."

Hiei started walking. Kurama followed.

Although it wasn't necessary, Kurama appreciated the assistance. The palace was rather large. It would be complicated to navigate, especially since Kurama was quite sure that certain areas were booby trapped to avoid blood thirsty raiders from getting too far in.

After giving this a little thought, Kurama then turned his attention to his friend. He watched Hiei walk, trying to note anything that might seem peculiar. Truthfully, there was not much that Kurama could identify. Perhaps it was because his own ailment had dulled his senses as well, or perhaps Hiei had learned to hide his disability better than he had learned how to use it. Still, Kurama sensed nothing. It was curious, to say the least. Why had Koenma sent him to Spirit World to seek Hiei's help if Hiei was not even able to help himself?

Did Spirit World even know that Hiei was in the current condition that he was in?

He sighed.

"Something the matter?"

Kurama looked up, startled slightly by Hiei's voice shattering through his thought process.

"No. Nothing."

They continued walking. Hiei's eyes were cast straight ahead, or so Kurama could tell. He was once again a few paces ahead, so Kurama really could not get a good look at his eyes at all. There really was nothing to give any clues that Hiei was any different than he had been since the day they parted. "Can I ask you a question, Hiei?"

"Ask."

"Is it true that you've lost your ability to see?"

Whether it was because he had not suspected the question, or because he was angry that Kurama had found out, Hiei stopped walking.

* * *

_Yes, it ends there._

_Naosu is actually a Japanese verb. It means "To Restore to Health", so I figured that that was an appropriate title for the plant that will be needed to heal Kurama. _

_Reviews are appreciated!_


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